Building a better front door

Before working with Bland, much of the early customer interaction relied heavily on internal teams. While effective, this approach required significant time and coordination, especially as call volume increased. SmartFinancial saw an opportunity to improve efficiency while delivering a more consistent experience for callers.

They were not looking for a one size fits all tool. They wanted a partner who could understand their business, respect the sensitivities of their ecosystem, and help them design an experience that felt natural and trustworthy.

That is where Bland stood out.

Bland worked closely with the SmartFinancial team to design an AI phone agent that acts as a single, reliable entry point. The agent greets every caller, gathers the right context, and helps guide people to the appropriate next step, all in a way that feels aligned with SmartFinancial’s brand.

What mattered most was how collaborative the process felt.

Efficiency without compromise

Once live, the impact was clear. SmartFinancial saw meaningful efficiency gains across their team as repetitive, early stage interactions were handled automatically and consistently. At the same time, callers benefited from a smoother, more straightforward experience with less friction and less confusion.

Because the AI agent is always on and behaves consistently, SmartFinancial was able to improve customer support without increasing operational burden. Internal teams could focus more of their time on higher value work, while customers were quickly guided to the right place.

Just as importantly, the system was designed to evolve. As SmartFinancial learned more about how callers interacted, they continued refining the experience in partnership with Bland.

A long term partnership

Today, SmartFinancial views Bland as a strategic partner rather than just a piece of infrastructure. The initial success has laid the groundwork for continued collaboration, with a shared focus on improving customer service while scaling responsibly.

“Working with Bland has been a really positive experience,” a SmartFinancial leader said. “The team is thoughtful, responsive, and genuinely focused on helping us deliver better service.”

Looking ahead, SmartFinancial plans to continue building with Bland as they refine and expand how customers are supported. With a strong foundation in place, they see AI as a durable part of their customer experience strategy, one that helps them move faster without losing trust or quality.